South metro school district asked to pull book over 'r-word'

A parent in Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan schools wants administrators to pull a book from nine elementary school libraries because it uses a term for people with cognitive disabilities that many say is derogatory.

Jenna Boutain, a Farmington resident and district employee, filed a request April 10 to have "Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You" removed from district elementary schools after it was given to her child as part of an accelerated-reader list.

A district committee will consider her request May 14.

Boutain's request states the book, by Barthe DeClements, uses the word "retarded" to refer to students with special needs. Her request calls the word a "disrespectful term.

"Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You," by Barthe DeClement

" The book tells the story of Helen, a sixth-grader with a learning disability, and was first published in 1985.

"As a whole, I feel the book is outdated and uses language that is no longer acceptable," Boutain wrote in her request. "This book serves no educational purpose besides keeping words and behaviors in the minds of our students."

There is a national campaign to ban the "r-word" that is supported by the Special Olympics and other groups.

Julie Hertzog, director of the advocacy group PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center, said what was once a clinical term has become a hurtful word. Its presence can also be a way to have a deeper conversation about people with special needs.

"In our language, words have impact," Hertzog said.

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"Words influence attitudes, and attitudes influence actions."

Boutain works with students with special needs at Falcon Ridge Middle School, according to the district's website. She did not respond to requests for comment.

A school official offered to restrict Boutain's children's access to the book, and she agreed, but decided to continue with her petition to remove the book from district libraries, records show.

Tony Taschner, district spokesman, said there have been five requests to remove materials in his two decades with the district and only one was granted. Typically, school leaders are given guidelines for choosing materials, but decisions about specific materials are left up to building staff.

The review committee can decide to leave the questioned material in the school, limit who has access to it or remove it from the school all together, Taschner said.

"It matters to the committee whether it is a required piece or just part of the school's collection that someone can check out," Taschner said.

A district review committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. May 14 at the district office to review Boutain's request to remove "Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You" from nine elementary school libraries. The committee includes teachers, parents and district administrators.

A district policy first adopted in 1987 allows parents, teachers and residents to ask administrators to reconsider instructional materials.

Controversial school materials are nothing new. In 2013, parents in the Anoka-Hennepin school district challenged the use of the novel "Eleanor & Park" in high schools because the book included profanity and sexual content.

A district committee reviewed the novel and voted unanimously in November to keep the book on high school shelves.